Rolling mill system



Sept. 12, 1939. c. J. KLEIN ROLLING MILL- SYSTEM Filed Dec. 16, 1936 3Sheets-Sheet l (T/ a renc j zl ein Sept. 12, 1939. c. J. KLEIN ROLLINGMILL SYSTEM Filed Dec. 16, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 '4' clarencg jj l??ein@Jflm m/M Sept. 12, 1939. Q J. KLE|N 2,172,616

ROLLING MILL SYSTEM Filed Dec. 16, 1936 3 Sheefs-Sheet 3 fig. 3.

INVENTOR Clarence J. Klein Patented Sept. 12, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE l'lClaims.

My invention relates to rolling mill systems and is particularlyapplicable to apparatus forhandling strip metal after-it has passedthrough the finishing stand of a rolling mill. The term strip metal orstrip, is herein used to designate metal which is rolled in lengths manytimes greater than its width and'such as is usually referred to in thetrade as strip, sheet, and strip sheet material.

After strip material has been passed through the finishing stand of arolling mill, the modern practice is to coil the strip in suitable coilsby means of a power-driven coiler, reel or winding drum. The end of thestrip must be secured in some fashion to the reel, which has acylindrical surface on which the material is coiled. In order to fastenthe strip to the reel, the mill has to be at rest so that the workmenwill have an opportunity to fit the end-of the strip into the grippingnotch usually associated with the reels now in use. It is also necessarythat the end of the strip be sheared square to fit in the gripping notchor other fastening device associated with the reel. Furthermore, it isnot possible to finish the strip to gauge unless the mill is beingcontinuously operated; consequently, it

is necessary to discard a considerable length of the strip which firstcomes through the mill. In general, even with experienced workmen,several 0 minutes are consumed before the strip is securely fastened tothe reel and the mill and reel can be started and the mill be driven atcommercially desirable speeds.

It is customary after a coil has been formed to the desired size tostrip the coil from the reel and to pick up the coil by a crane or by asuitable truck orother handling apparatus and convey the coil to asuitable storage space. The surface of the coiled metal is usuallyhighly fin- 40 ished and it is essential that the coils, which are ofgreat weight, be carefully handled to prevent unnecessary marking andconsequent injury of the materialboth on the inside and the outside ofthe coil. Such marking reduces the commer- 45 cial value of thematerial. Sometimes the handling arrangements are not immediatelyavailable at the time desired, and the operation of the mill has to besuspended until coil-handling equipment is available so that thefinished coil may be taken from the mill and a new coil can be startedon the reel.

By my invention I provide apparatus which will allow the strip to beimmediately wrapped around the reel without preliminary shearing of 55the ends, which are commonly fish-tailed and uneven, and withoutstopping the mill so that a very short period of time is required towrap a .sufllcient number of turns around the reel to securely hold thestrip in winding contact with r the reel. Consequently, the mill can berun 5 at a commercial speed within a very short time and thus increaseto ameasurable extent the out-- 1 put of the mill. Furthermore, thebending of the strip caused by the gripping means on the commonly usedreel is such as to cause undesirable 10 marking for a number of turns ofthe finished strip. By the use of my invention, there is a considerablesaving in scrap losses, as such markings are less frequent withapparatus of the type which 1 have invented, and all the strip in the 15coil is rolled at gauge for practically its whole length.

In general, my apparatus comprises a reel or winding drum by which thestrip may be coiled 20 around the reel as it emerges at a comparativelyhigh rate of speed from the mill and means for stripping the finishedcoil from the mill and transporting it away from the reel. The coil maythen be conveyed to weighing apparatus without undue handling and thenceto a storage space outside the longitudinal center line of the mill. Toaccomplish this I provide means which can be moved into position to wrapthe strip around the reel; means which can be moved into position underthe coil while on the winding drum to support the weight of the coilwhile it is being stripped therefrom; means for moving the support withthe coil to a clear position beyond the reel, whereupon the coil supportis retracted and the top of the support incontact with the coil istilted so as to cause the coil to roll oil. the support and onto aconveyor by gravity. The coil then moves along the conveyor to aweighing platform and from the weighing platform to a storage space.

In the accompanying drawings wherein like numerals represent like partsthroughout the drawings, I have shown for purposes of illustration onlya preferred embodiment of my invention.

Figure 1 is a. plan view, partly in section, of an arrangement ofapparatus made. according to my invention;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical section along the line II-II ofFigure 1;

Figure 3 is a schematic elevational view showing the wrapping device inposition for wrapping the strip around the winding drum; and

Figure 4 is a Similar view showing the wrappi apparatus .in retractedposition away from the winding drum.

In the drawings, the numerals 2 and I represent the housings of a 4-highrolling mill, I and I represent the working rolls and backing-up rolls,

respectively, or. the mill, and I represents an idling. roll interposedbetween the exit side of the working rolls I and the winding drum orreel I. Conventional means for driving this winding drum are designatedgenerally as 2.

Associated with the winding drum or coiler I is a strip-wrappingmechanism or belt-wrapper II. The winding drum and the strip-wrappingapparatus are arranged alongthe center line of the mill with which theyare associated. This wrapping apparatus is movable into and out ofwrapping engagement with the winding drum I by means of a piston rod ll,attached to a piston movable in cylinder l2, which cylinder may beoperated by fluid such as air or water. The operating connections forthe cylinder are not shown. The strip-wrapping apparatus may be of anyusual type such as shown in Figures 2, 3

and 4, and it is so arranged that the longitudinalaxis of the apparatusis along the longitudinal axis of the rolling mill and the longitudinalaxis of the coiler with which the apparatus is associated. The beltwrapper consists of two spaced apart side plates I: on which are mountedlinkages l4, l5, controlled bysprings l6. Link I4 is rotatably securedto plate It at I! and to link II at It. Midway oftheir length, the linksI5 are joined by a cross member l9 trunnioned to the links so that themember I! can rotate about its longitudinal axis. A connecting plate 2|is secured between the side plates I3, and between plate 29 and memberI! the springs it are interposed, the action of which springs tends,through the force exerted against member It, to rotate link I5 clockwiseabout joint l8. Rotatably secured between the lower ends of links It isa roller or pulley 2| which is constrained to move in a straight line bymeans of member 22, which is slidably received in track 23 securedbetween plates l3. Rotatably secured between plates II and in fixedposition are rollers or pulleys 24, 25 and 26. Journaled between platesll, preferably on the same centers as pulley 28, is a. link 21 whichcarries wrapping rollers 28 and 29 rotatably secured thereto. Link 21can be rotated around its point of attachment to plate It. A lap belt30, which may conveniently be of rubber and fabric construction, passesaround rollers 2|, 24, 25, 26, 21 and 29, as shown particularly inFigures 3 and 4. It will be observed that under the action of spring is,exerted through linkage l4, l5, and the weight of link 27 and associatedrollers 28 and 29, the tensioning roller 2| will cause the belt 30 toassume the position shown in Figure 4, when there is no other forceexerted against belt 30. When the belt is moved against reel 8,tensloning pulley 2| will be moved to the right, as shown in Figure 3,springs It will be compressed, and link 21 and associated pulleys 28 and29 will assume the upright position shown in Figure 3. The belt is thenin position for causing the strip to be wrapped around the reel 8.

The supporting plates or frame ii are mounted on a carriage 3| which ismoved back and forth along a convenient track 32 by the move-' ment ofpiston rod I Movement of frame I! back and forth will cause the belt tomove out of and into position for wrapping the strip around the reel I.The wrapping position is shown in Figure 3 and the non-wrapping positionin Figure 4.

When it is desired to coil a reel of strip material, the belt wrapper ismoved into the position shown in Figure 3 by the movement of piston rodII to the right and the strip 33 is passed over the idling roll I andbetween belt 30 and reel 2. which reel is turned counterclockwise asshown in Figure 2; The strip is then held between the belt 3. and theoutside of the winding drum I until several turns have been made on thedrum, whereupon the wrapping apparatus is retracted by means of thepiston rod II to the position shown in Figure 4, where it is wholly outof engagement with reel 8.

Positioned below the winding drum I is coil handling apparatus 24, suchas described and claimed in my copending application for Coilhandlingapparatus, Serial No. 116,229, filed December 16, 1936, now Patent2,156,695. As set forth :in said application, the .cradle 35 can beraised into position to support the formed coil on the reel or windingdrum 8, which reel is of the collapsible type. After the coilhas beenfinished, the reel is collapsed and the weight of the coil is' supportedby cradle 35 and by means of a stripping member (not shown), the coil isr pped from the reel and the cradle 35 is moved to the dischargeposition beyond the center line of the rolling mill. The movement of thecoilhand ling apparatus is accomplished by a piston rod 38 movable incylinder 31. The cradle is raised or lowered by the operation of thepiston I0 moving in cylinder 5|. When the stripped coil has reached theposition shown in chain lines II (Figure 1), cradle 35 is loweredwhereupon the coil will roll by gravity onto conveyor 39.

Conveyor :9 comprises a number of rollers 40, rotatably supported onguides 4|. The top plane of the conveyor slopes slightly downward to the'left or away from the coil handling apparatus 34. At the end adjacentthe coil handling app ratus the top plane of the conveyor is at a levelwith the top left upper face of the cradle 25 when the cradle is in thelowermost position as shown in Figure 2. By inspection of Figure 2, itwill be seen that the top surface of cradle 35 slopes upwardly to theright when the cradle is in the lowered position as shown in thatfigure. Consequently a coil" supported on that surface will roll oil ofthe cradle 35 and on to the conveyor 39. 'A portion 42 of the conveyoris arranged over a scale pit 43, and a scale of ordinary construction isattached to this portion of the conveyor so that coils placed on thissection of the conveyor may be weighed. A depression 44 is provided onthe conveyor guides 4| in which a stop such as an ordinary upright roundbar can be inserted to hold the coil in place while it is being weighed.As soon as the coil has been weighed, the stop is removed and the coilwill move under gravity to the end of the storage space.

I have shown in chain lines a coil 45 on scale pit 42 and coils 46, 41and 4! on the storage space at the end of the conveyor 3!.

It is to be observed that the belt wrapper and the coil-handlingapparatus must be arranged so that they are not in engagement with thecoil at the same time and that the longitudinal axis of the belt-wrapperand the longitudinal axis of the coil-handling apparatus are disposed atsubstantially right angles to one another.

With apparatus constructed according to my invention, it is notnecessary that the end of the strip coming from the finishing roll 5 ofthe mill be squared and it is not necessary that the speed of the millbe unduly reduced.

The end of the strip 33 is rapidly and expeditiously secured to thewinding drum 8 through the aid of the belt-wrapper and the material isnot marked during the coiling thereof, or by subsequent handling. Assoon as the coil has been completed on the winding drum, it is strippedtherefrom by means of the coil-handling apparatus which I have mentionedand conveyed transversely to the longitudinal axis of the mill to aposition beyond the center line of the mill and in line with theconveyor 39. By operation of the coil-handling apparatus, the reel maythen be transferred from the coil-handling apparatus to the conveyor 39by the action of gravity and it may then be moved along conveyor 39,first, to

the weighing pit l3 and thence to a desired storage position on theconveyor.

The reel or winding drum in a mill of this character necessarilyoccupies a fixed position directly in line with the pass or longitudinalaxis 'of the rolling mill. The belt-wrapper and the coil-handlingapparatus must both operate in juxtaposition to this reel. Consequently,the present system provides an arrangement wherein the wrapping pparatusmay be advanced so that the belt engages the reel to start the windingof the strip while the coil stripper or handling apparatus is retractedfrom the reel. After the coil has been started and a few turns of stripwrapped around the reel, the wrapper is retracted, leaving a freepassage for the coil-handling apparatus tocome into position to removethe coil from the reel. By using a type of coil-handling apparatus thatremoves the coil from the reel and carries it to one side thereof andthus beyond the pass line of the mill, the coil is carried clear of thewrapper, reel, and mill to a point where it can be readily disposed of.Moreover, the provision of a run-out conveyor at one side of the rollpass allows the coils to be disposed of without interfering with theoperation of the wrapper or of the mill and enables the wrapper to bepositioned in linewith the mill so that the longitudinal ax s of bothare in substantially the same line.

It is apparent that by the use of my invention, the time required forstarting material on the reel is greatly reduced, the material is notmarked and can be expeditiously and properly handled without dependingon other equipment. The output of the mill is very considerablyincreased, due to the smaller amount of time during which the speed ofthe mill is reduced, and there is a considerable reduction in scraploss. The total cost of strip and sheet manufacture is, therefore,considerably reduced.

While I have described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it willbe understood that the invention is not limited to the apparatusdescribed, but that it may be otherwise constructed and embodied withinthe scope of the following claims.

I claim:

belt wrapper being arranged for independent operation into and out ofoperating position with 2. In a rolling mill system, a rolling mill, areel on which the material to be rolled is coiled, a belt wrapper forcooperation with the reel and movable into and out of engagementtherewith, and coil handling apparatus vertically movable from aposition below the reel into a position adjacent the reel to contact thematerial wound thereon, there being suilicient clearance between thecoil handling apparatus when in the position below the reel and the beltwrapper so that the belt wrapper can move into and out of engagementwith the reel, the longitudinal vertical axis of the reel and thelongitudinal vertical axis of the coil handling apparatus lying insubstantially the same plane.

3. In a rolling mill system, a rolling mill, a reel on which the rolledmaterial may be coiled, a belt wrapper movable into and out of engage 1ment with the reel for coiling the material thereon at the beginning ofthe coiling operation, and coil handling apparatus vertically movablefrom a position directly below the reel and also laterally of the reel,said wrapper being movable into and out of engagement with the reel whenthe coil handling apparatus is below the reel, both said belt wrapperand coil handling apparatus being arranged for independent operationinto and out of operating position with the reel at alternate periods,the path of operation of said coil handling apparatus being transverseto the longitudinal, vertical axis of the mill.

4. In a rolling mill system, a rolling mill, a reel on which thematerial rolled by the mill may be wound, said reel being in line withthe pass line of the mill, a belt wrapper for cooperating with the reelin line with the pass line of the mill, the transverse vertical axis ofthe reel and the longitudinal vertical axis of the mill being insubstantially the same plane, coil handling apparatus movable from aposition below the reel to a positon to engage the material woundthereon, said apparatus being also movable in a plane parallel to thelongitudinal axis of the reel, said belt wrapper being movable into andout of operating position with respect to the reel, while the coilhandling apparatus is in a position below the reel, and a runoutconveyor, the longitudinal vertical axis of which is substantiallyparallel to the longitudinal vertical axis of the mill and spacedtherefrom.

5. In a rolling mill system, a rolling mill, a reel on which materialmay be wound as it comes from the mill, a belt wrapper for cooperatingwith the reel at the beginning of the winding operation, coil handlingapparatus movable from a position below the reel to a position to engagethe material on the reel, said apparatus being movable in a planeparallel to the longitudinal axis of the reel whereby a coil of materialthereon may be carried from the reel to a discharge point, said beltwrapper being movable into 00- operating position with the reel, whilethe coil handling apparatus is below the reel.

6. In a rolling mill system, a rolling mill, a reel on which materialmay be wound as it comes from the mill, a belt wrapper for cooperatingwith the reel at the beginning of the winding operation, coil handlingapparatus mdvable from a position below the reel to a position to engagethe material on the reel, said apparatus being movable in a planeparallel to the longitudinal axis of the reel whereby a coil of materialthereon may be carried from the reel to material' thereon, coil handlingapparatus movable irom a position immediately below the reel to aposition adjacent thereto for supporting the wound material on the reel,means on the apparatus for stripping the coil from the reel, saidapparatus being movable parallel to the longitudinal axis of the reel toa discharge point therebeyond, said coil handling apparatus having allparts thereof completely out of the line of travel of the wrapper whenthe apparatus is below the reel, and a conveyor at the coil dischargepoint,

said conveyor being substantially at right angles to the longitudinalaxis of the reel.

8. In a rolling mill system, a rolling mill for rolling strip material,a reel upon which the stripis coiled, coil handling apparatus having apart thereof movable vertically from a position below the reel to aposition adjacent thereto for supporting the coiled strip, saidapparatus being movable to carry the coiled strip in a plane along '1the longitudinal axis of the reel to a position clear oi the reel, and abelt wrapper movable into and out of engagement with the reel when thecoil handling apparatus is in position below the reel.

9. In a rolling mill system, a rolling mill, a reel, a belt wrapper forcooperation with the reel, the transverse vertical axis of the reel andthe longitudinal axis of the mill being in substantially the same planesand coil handling apparatus vertically movable from a position below thereel to a position closely adjacent thereto, the belt wrapper beingarranged for independent operation into and out of operating positionwith the reel while the coil handling apparatus is in a position belowthe reel, and a runout conveyor the longitudinal vertical axis of whichis substantially parallel to the longitudinal vertical axis of the milland spaced therefrom.

I 10. Apparatus for use in connection with a rolling mill systemcomprising a reel on which the rolled material may be wound, a beltwrapper movable into and out of cooperative relationship with the reelfor wrapping the material around the reel at the beginning of thereeling operation, and coil handling apparatus movable vertically from aretracted position directly below the reel to a raised position toengage and support the material wound on the reel and movable laterallyfrom a position directly below the reel to a coil 'dischargingpositionbeyond the reel, the path of movement of the coil handling apparatusbeing in a plane which is parallel to a vertical plane passing throughthe longitudinal axis oi the reel.

11. Apparatus for use in connection with a rolling mill systemcomprising a reel on which the rolled material may be wound, a beltwrapper movable into and out oi cooperative relationship withthe reelfor wrapping the material around the reel at the beginning of thereeling operation, and coil handling apparatus movable vertically from aretracted position directly below the reel to a raised position toengage and 7| support the material wound on the reel and the rolledmaterial may be wound, a belt wrapper movable into and out ofcooperative relationship with the reel for wrapping the material aroundthe reel at the beginning of the reeling operation, and coil handlingapparatus movable vertically from a retracted position directly belowthe reel to a raised position to engage and support the material woundon the reel and movable laterally when in the retracted position from aposition beyond the reel to a position beneath the reel while a coil isbeing wound on the reel.

13. Apparatus for use in a rolling mill system, comprising a reel onwhich the rolled material may be wound, a belt wrapper movable into andout 01' cooperative relationship .with. the reel for wrapping thematerial around the reel at the beginning of the reeling operationandcoil handling apparatus movable vertically from a position where it willnot retain a coil to a position position where it will not retain a coilto a raised position where it will support and retain a coil and movablelaterally from a position directly below the reel to a coil dischargingstation beyond the reel, and a runout conveyor the longitudinal verticalaxis of which is substantially parallel to the longitudinal verticalaxis of the mill, the surface of the runout conveyor being positioned toreceive the coil from the coil handling apparatus when it is in theretracted position at the coil discharging station.

15. Apparatus for use in connection with a rolling mill systemcomprising a reel on which the rolled material may be wound, a beltwrapper movable into and out of cooperative relationship with the reelfor wrapping the material around the reel at the beginning oi. thereeling operation, and coil handling apparatus movable vertically from aretracted position directly below the reel to a raised position toengage and support the material wound on the reel and movable laterallyfrom a position directly below the reel to a coil discharging positionbeyond the reel, the path of movement of the coil handling apparatusbeing in a plane which is parallel to a vertical plane passing throughthe longitudinal axis 01 the reel, said coil handling apparatus beingmovable laterally when in the retracted position beneath the reel whilea coil is on the reel.

16. In a rolling mill system, a rolling mill, a reel on which materialmay be wound as it comes from the mill, a belt wrapper for cooperatingwith the reel at the beginning of the winding operation, coil handlingapparatus movable from a position below the reel to a position to engagethe material on the reel, said apparatus being movable in aplaneparallel to the longitudinal axis oi! the reel whereby a coil ofmaterial thereon may be carried from the reel to a discharge point, saidcoil handling apparatus being movable laterally when in the retractedposition beneath the reel while a coil is being wound on the reel.

17. In a rolling mill system, a rolling mill, a reel on which materialmay be wound, a belt wrapper for cooperating with the reel to windmaterial thereon, coil handling apparatus movable irom a positionimmediately below the reel 10 to a position adjacent thereto forsupporting the wound material on the reel, means on the apparatus forstripping the coil from the reel, said apparatus being movable parallelto the longitudinal axis of the reel to a discharge point therebeyond,said coil handling apparatus being movable "when in the retractedposition laterally from the discharge point to a position beneath thereel while a coil is on the reel.

